This is a new painting I created for the Los Angeles Hive Gallery's 6th Year Anniversary show, starting April 2nd, 2011.

The theme was based upon an emerging world called "Hive Land", and each artist was to create a character or avatar to contribute to the cosmology of the new world.

The following are the stats for the land, potential game/trading cards, etc:

Hiveland Region: The Ether Lands

Special Skill: The Mad Sage can transfer his mind from one body to another using the wasp hive mind as couriers. One sting from a wasp carrying his essence will take over the new host.

Avatar Story: Originally named Kamathura as a boy, he grew up in a yogi tribe. Tempted by the forbidden, he explored taboo meditations, discovering a way to commune with the wasps’ hive mind and transfer his spirit through their hive matrix. The moment he took over his new human body he was ostracized as the “Mad Sage”. The Mad Sage is currently over 400 years old and tends to levitate in deep meditation in the Ether Lands, using his wasps to do most of his activities.

sorry for taking so long to respond, life has been so full it seems i have so little time...i chose the wasps because after reviewing a lot of various forms of stinging insects this particular type caught me as perfect for the vision of this piece. Wasps generally also have parasitic natures, are often more lone wolf types, and visually eclectic.

Absolutely beautiful. I love the intense emotion in his eyes and the composition to this piece. It really depresses me that this doesn't have more attention. I'll feature it for sure in the future. Masterful work with the actual painting process as always. I really, really like your colour selections here; they all work together so well. Keep it up!!! I can't wait to see your next piece.